Iqbal leads Bangladesh to 221-5, trailing England by 72

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Bangladesh's test cricket team captain, Mushfiqur Rahim, (right), plays a shot, as England's wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow watches, on the second day of their first cricket test match in Chittagong, Bangladesh, yesterday. (AP Photo)

CHITTAGONG (AP):

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal hit a patient 78 as Bangladesh posted 221-5 against England by stumps on day two of the first Test yesterday.

The hosts trail by 72 runs and could hope to gain a first-innings lead after bowling out England for 293 in the morning.

In the middle were Shakib Al Hasan, on 31 not out, with nightwatchman Shafiul Islam yet to score after facing nine balls.

"We are slightly at an advantaged position at the end of the second day," Iqbal said. "We will gain the upper hand if we can bat well in the first session. The wicket is not easy to play."

complete control

England ruined Bangladesh's chance of taking complete control of the Test by removing captain Mushfiqur Rahim on 48, just two overs before the end of play.

"If Mushfiqur didn't get out, I would have said that we had a good day," Iqbal said.

England was counting its blessings.

"They had a really good partnership there, two back-to-back, so that (Mushfiqur's wicket) actually massively brought us back into the game, and, hopefully, put them on the back foot," England off-spinner Gareth Batty said.

England kept coming back into the match all day.

Just when Bangladesh looked like reaching lunch unscathed on a pitch offering plenty of turn and variable bounce, Moeen Ali's first over of offspin flipped the complexion of the contest.

He bowled opener Imrul Kayes (21) with a quicker delivery that didn't turn as much as Kayes expected, and in the same over, induced Mominul Haque with extra bounce to poke a shot to gully for a three-ball duck.

Bangladesh was 29-2, and Mahmudullah joined Iqbal to keep England at bay for almost the entire second session. They used their feet well to neutralise the spinners, who operated tirelessly.